Manufacture of shoes



Oct. I l n 6,1936- K. KILBURN 2,056,323-

' MANUFACTURE OF SHOES Filed July'l, 1934 'Karl Kilburn, n, Shoe Machinery C masses f' or snons a corporation of New Jersey Application my 1c, i

This linvention relates to improvements in shoes and methods of shoemaking and is illustrated herein with special reference to the manufacture of shoes having iiexible foreparts. The

5 invention relates also to improvements in insoles and methods of making them.

In order to provide for exibility in the foreparts of shoes, it has been proposed heretofore to skeletonize an insole forwardly of the ball line before the insole is applied to the last by removing the central portionof the forepart of the insole so as to provide a central opening therein surrounded by a rim or rand-like portion of insole material. In using such a skeletonized insole in the manufacture of a shoe, after the upper has been vlasted and secured to the narrow rim comprising the forepart of the insole the reaction of the tensioned upperA tends to distort or displace putwardiy the rim of the insole with the 2B result that the lasted shape of the shoe is. not maintained. @or the purpose of preventing such .outward displacement'oi the forepart'oi a skeletonized outsole, it has further been pro t0 f pect, consists in an insole having a two-ply forepart portion, one layer of which is divided by a cut perpendicular to its top and bottom surfaces into a central cut-out part and a surrounding frame part and the other layer, of which is secured in iace-to-face relationto said cutout part and said frame part by cement which s viscous in use to hold said frame part and said cut-out part in their original relation to each other during the lasting oi a shoe upper over saidinsole unit while enabling said cut-out to be subsequently removed. The presence of the central cut-out portion in its original relation to the rim portion and the fact that the adjacent edge faces of the cut-out portion and the im portion are disposed at right angles to thetop and bottom faces of those parts insures against any possibility of inward displacement of the rand-like rim portion resulting, for example, from the action of the toe wipers oi' tlie lasting machine during the lasting of the upper. Moreover, the piece of reinforcing material, being cemented to the central cut-out portion as well as to the rim portion, is thereby rendered practically incapable of stretching independently of 5 the cut-out portion. Thus the reinforcing material serves more eiectively to hold the rim portion against outward displacement due to the reaction of the lasted upper.. Y

In the practice of my improved method of shoev10 making, after the upper has been lasted and secured to the rim or frame portion oi the insole the central cut-out portion or panel oi the insole is removed, by .stripping or peeling it from the reinforcing piece, and the margin of the upper is l5 trimmed, the trimming being preferably gaged from the inner edge of the rim portion to provide sumcient surplus of upper material for folding down so as to overlie., the inner edge of the rim portion of the insole. Thereafter, this surplus `upper material is cemented to the inner edge oi the rim portion and an outsol havingv its margin recessed at its attaching side so as to form a central projection adapted to iit tightly into the opening within the folded-down surplus of. the upper, is laid in place and the marginal surfaces formed by the recessing operation are cemented `-to the overlasted portions of the upper, including the folded-down surplus of the latter. Thus, the folded-down surplus of the upper is not only bent at right angles to the portion which overlies the face of the insole rim and conned in that rela-l tion between the inner edge of the insole rim and the edge of the central projection upon the outsole. but it is cemented to as well, as tightly clamped between the opposed insole and outsole edges and thus the upper is securely held agains any force tending to displace it from its o overlasted-relation to the shoe bottom.

Considered in another t the presentinvention provides an improved method ofi-1:.` 1 insoles which consists in cutting out the 'central portion of the forepart of an insole by cutting at right m, les to the top andbottom iaes of the insole, thereby producing a skeletonlzed forepart of a rand-like peripherally-extendinn member having its inner edge tace disposed at 'right angles to its` top and bottom faces and thereby producing also a central portion completely severed from said rand-like member and having its edge face at right angles to its top and bottom faces, and attaching asheet of reinforcing material to said. central cutout portion .and t0 said rand-like member by means of cement which remains viscous in use thereby temporarily.

l insole may initially be split edgewise from its toe end to the vicinity of the ball to provide a rela-k tively thinap at the inner or last-engaging side of the insole and a relatively thick iap at the opposite side of the insole, the relatively thickv ap may have its central portion separated from lo its marginal portion, and the central and mar- .ing one ofthe steps in my method of preparing y gina! portions of the relatively thick flap may be temporarily secured in their original relationto each other by cementing them to the relatively thin flap.

Invention is alsoto be recognized as residing in the various features of shoe and `insole construction hereinafter described and claimed. The invention will be explained with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a perspective view, partially broken away, showing the upper or last-engaging side of an insole prepared in accordance with myA linvention; 4

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view illustratvthe insole; o i

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a shoe lasted over o my novel insole, the overlasted margin ofthe upper having been trimmed and also roughened to preparer it for the reception of sole-attaching cement;

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view, ofthe shoe shown in Fig. 3 illustrating the step of trimmingthe overlasted margin of the upper; v

Fig. 5 is a perspective'view of an outsole prepared for assembly with the shoe shown in Fig. 3; Fig. 6 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view of the lasted shoe as it appears after the outsole has been attached;

v Fig. `7 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view of In the manufacture of shoes having exible the completed shoe; and

Fig. 8 is a perspective View of a portion of'anA insole prepared in accordance with a modification'of my invention.

a cut 26 extending through' the insole from its A t`op face to its bottom face, and at rightv angles to said faces, the cut 28, as shown, being substantially parallel to the edge of the sole and extending also across the ball-line.' Thiscutting operation,

as illustrated in Fig. 2, may conveniently be perfumed by means of a die 28 arranged to cooperate with'a cutting block 30 upon which the. insole 20 is' positioned. After the insole has been cut as describeda piece of reinforcing material 32.

50 (for example canvas) which'has previously been out to a shape correspondingto that of the fore- Y part of the insolebut of slightly smaller size, is temporarily secured by means of adhesive to the upper surface of the central cut-out portion 22 and the surrounding rand-like marginal or rim portion 24. Rubber cement or some other adhesive which remains viscous in use is employed forl this purpose so that the parts temporarily secured together thereby may be later separated readily 70 as will be hereinafter explained.

Alternatively the insole' may be prepared as illustrated in Fig. 8 by having its forepart split edgewise at least as far back as the ball line to form a relatively thin ap 38 at the inner or lasteng'aging side of the insole and a relatively thick flap 38 at the outer side of the insole, and by having the central portionA 220 of the apl38 entirely separated from the marginal portion 24|) of the ap 38-by a cut 260 extending entirely through the flap at right angles to the top and bottom faces thereof. In accordance with the v method exemplied inFig. 8 the, central cut-out portion or panel 228 of the insole 208, without be ing removed from its original relation to the embracing'rand-like marginal or frame portion 240, is temporarily retained in that relation by means of the relatively thin flap 36 which, for that purpose, is secured to both the cut-out portion 228 and the marginal portion 240 by means of cement of such a nature as that hereinbefore referred to so as to permit the subsequent peeling or stripping of the cut-out portion from the flap, as will be hereinafter explained.

`'Ihe insole, whether prepared as illustrated by Fig. 1 or as illustrated by Fig. 8, is attached to the bottomof a last, such as thelast 40, and ^an upper 42 is assembled on the last and pulled yover in the usual manner.

In the lasting. operation cement is introduced between the plies of the upper 42 and between thelining' of the upper and the rand-like marginal portion 24 (or 240) of the insole.Y The upper is then worked into lasted position and secured to the portion 24 l(or 240) by means of staples 44 as illustrated in Figs, 3 and 4. The fact that the central cut-out portion 22 (or 220) of the insole has not been removed but remains in its original relation to the marginal portion 24 (or 240) and the fact that the adjacent edge facesof the cutout and marginal portions are disposed at right angles tothe top and bottom faces of those portions insures against any undesirable inward distortion or displacement of the marginal portion of the insole under the stress of the lasting operation. Furthermore, the fact that the piece of reinforcing material 32 has been securely ce- .mented to the cut-out portion 22 as well as to the surrounding marginal portion 24 (or, in the case of the insole shown in Fig. 8, the fact that the flap 36 has been cemented to the cut-out portion 220 and the surrounding marginal portion 240) insures that the reinforcing piece will be less liable to stretch asa result of any reaction of the upper after itvhas been lasted.

After the lasting operation has been completed, the central cut-out portion 22 (or 220) of the insole is removed by stripping it from the reinforcing piece 32 (or the flap 36) and the overlasted upper margin is trimmed to provide only sufclentsurplus of upper material .extending iny wardly beyond the inner wall of the marginal or ate with the inner edge of the insole frame por- Y tion'24 to gage the location ofthe trimming cut.

If the shoe is to have its outsole secured thereto by means of cement the overlasted margin of the upper is roughened in a customary manner, as

indicated at 50, to prepare it for the reception of sole-attaching cement. This roughing operation may advantageously be performed before the cutout portion 22 has been removed and the upper' accesos materials have been trimmed and while the surplus materials are supported by the cut-out portion of the insole. As shown. a shank stiener 52 is attached to the insole by means of tacks 54.

As illustrated in Fig. 5, an outsole 56 is prepared fork assembly with the shoe by having its margin recessed, as indicated at v58, to form rin the center portion of the forepart of the outsole of course be applied to the overlasted upper marv gin and to the roughened margin of the outsole and allowed to dry and just before attachment the cement will be activated and the shoe and sole brought together and placed under pressure. In attaching the outsole the projection il is forced into the central opening in' the forepart of the insole, thus bending the surplus upper material 45 against the inner edge of the marginal portion of the insole and clamping it between that edge and the adjacent edge of .the outsoleprojection 6l. Preferably cement is applied to the inner A edge of the marginal portion 24 of the insole or to the under surface of the surplus upper materials 45 before they are pressed together. Thus,

not only is the surplus 45 of the upper materials bent at right angles to the portions which overlie the face of the insole but it is rmly'clamped between and cemented to the opposed edge portions of the insole margin 24 and the outsole projection it. Consequently, the upper materials are se' curely held against any force tending to displace them from their original overlasted relation to the shoe bottom. While the outsole is being attached the substantially perpendicular edge face of its projection 60 serves also, in cooperation with the perpendicular inner edge of the frame portion 24 of the insole, as a positioning means in gaging the location of the outsole relatively to the shoe. If desired, of course, the outsole may be attached by through-and-through stitches, for example, lockstitches.

The invention having beendescribed, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 'of the United States is: r

1. That improvement in methods of making insol which consists in cutting out the central portionof the forepart of an insole by cutting at right angles to the top and bottom faces of the insole, thereby producing a skeletonized forepart consisting of a rand-like peripheraily-extending member having its inner edge face dispod at right angles to its top and bottom faces and thereby producing also a central portion completely severed from said rand-like member' and having its edge face at right angles to its top and bottom faces, and attaching a sheetof reinforcing material to said central cut-out portion and to said rand-like member by means of. cement which revinsole from the toe to the vicinity of the ball line thereby providing two flaps integral with the rest of the insole, cutting out the central portion o f one of saidilaps, and temporarily securing said cut-out portion in its original relation to the re maining peripheral portion of said ilap and to the rest of the insole by means of cement which remains viscous in use thereby enabling said cutout portion to be subsequently removed from said peripheral portion. j

3. As an article of manufacture, an insole having a two-ply forepart portion, one layer of which is divided by a -cut perpendicular to its top and bottom surfaces into a central cut-out part and a surrounding frame part and the other layer of which is secured in face-to-'face relation to said cut-out part and said frame part by cement which remains viscous in use to hold said frame part and said -cut-out part in their original relation to each other during the lasting of a shoe upper over said insole unit while enabung said cut-out part to be subsequently removed.

4. n 'insole having an outline corresponding to that of the bottom of a last and having iii-central forepart -portion cut out forwardly of the ball line, and means integral with the insole and secured to said cut-out portion by means of'cement which remains viscous in use thereby facilitating the subsequent removal of said central forepart portion. v l

5. An insole comprising a sheet of material conforming in shape to a last bottom and having its forepart split from substantially the ball line forward to the toe thereby providing a relatively thin iilap4 and a thicker flap, the central portion of the thicker flap being entirely severed from the rest of said iiap to provide a central cut-out portion and a narrow rand-like member extending peripherally of the forepart of the insole forwardly of the ball line and of uniform thickness throughout, the thin flap, the rand-like member, and said cut-out portion being temporarily secured in their original relation to each other by cement which remains viscous in use so that said cut-out portion may subsequently be readily zremoved. 6. 'Ihat improvement in methods of manufacturing lshoes which comprises supplying an insole having its forepart split into two flaps, one of which comprises a central cut-out panel and an embracing frame portion and the other of which is temporarily secured to both said panel and said frame portion, assembling said insole and a shoe upper on a last, working the shoe upper into lasted relation to the insole and last and securing it in that position, removing said panel, trimming the marginal portion of the shoe upper so that it extends inwardly beyond the inner edge of said frame portion a distance substantially equal to the thickness of the insole, supplying an outsole having a forepart projection corresponding in shape and location to that of said panel but enough smaller to receive between it and said frame portion the inturned edge of the up and attaching said outsole to the shoe bottom wi said projection lling the space formerly occupied by said panel and with the extreme edge of the upper turned in between said projection and said frame portion.

7. That improvement in methods of manufactm'ing shoes which comprises supplying an insole having a relatively thin forepart ap and a substantlaliv thicker forepart ilap, the latter comprising a central cutout panel and an embracing frame portion and the former being temporarily secured to both said panel and said frame porftion, assembling said insole and a shoe upper on a last with said relatively thin flap in engagement with the last bottom, working the shoe upper 4into lasted relation to said frame portion and securing it thereto, thereafter removing said panel, supplying an'outsole having a projecting forepart portion conforming in shape and location to said panel, and attaching saidoutsole to the shoe bottom with its projecting portion in place of said panel.

8. That improvement in methods of manufacturing shoes which comprises supplying an insole having a split forepart comprising a relatively thin nap and a substantially thicker flap, the latter having a central cut-out panel and an embracing frame portion and said relatively thin flap being temporarily secured to said panel and said frame to the adjacent marginal portion of said relatively thick ap portion by cement, as-.

sembling said insole and a shoe vupper on a last with said-relatively thin ap in engagement with passing into said frame portion, thereafter removing said panel, trimming 'the surplus material from the margin of the upper but leaving the overlasted marginal portion of the upper at least Wide enough completely to cover said frame portion, supplying an outsole having a portion projecting from its attaching surface at the forepart, said projecting portion conforming in shape and location to said panel, and attaching said outsole tothe shoe bottom so that its projecting portion takes the place of said panel.

9. That improvement in methods of manufacturing shoes which comprises supplying an insole having in its lforepart a central cut-out panel and an embracing frame portion having a substantially perpendicular inner edge, assembling said insole together with its ,central panel with a shoe upper on a last, working the -upper over the last and securing lt in overlasted relation to the insole, removing said panel from thevinsole, trimming the surplus materialfrom the overlasted margin of the upper along a line substantially parallel to the inner edge of said frame portion and spaced therefrom a distance substantially equal to thethikness of said frame portion, supplying an outsole having a projectposition to the latter.

ing portion 'the margin of Iwhich is dened by a substantially perpendicular shoulder of a con- 'I tour complementa] to that of the inner edge of said frame member, and applying said outsole to' the shoe thereby clamping the inwardly extending trimmed edge of the upper between said shoulder and the'inner edge of said frame portion, and utilizing said shoulder as a positioning means in gaging the location of-the outsole relatively to the shoe. A

10. A shoe comprising an insole the forward portionv of which consists only of peripherallyextending, rand-like member having a substantially perpendicular inner edge portion, an outsole formed with a projection at theforepart of its attaching face received by the cut-out of the insole, Isaid projecting portion having a substantially perpendicular edge portion spaced from the inner edge yportion of said rand-'like member, and a shoe upper having its margin iilling the space between said edge portions.

- ll. A shoe comprising aninsole the 'forward'.

portion of which consists only of a peripherallyextending, rand-likevmember the inner edge of which is formed by a cut substantially at right angles to the surface of. the insole, an outsole formed with a projection at the forepart of its attaching face corresponding in shape with and received by the cut-out of the insole, said projection having a peripheral edge substantially at right angles to the surface of the outsole, and

an upper overlasted upon and secured to the face of said -rand-like member, the inner marginal portion of the upper extending between the inner edge of said rand-like member and the peripheral edge face of said projection on the outsole and secured by adhesive to those edges.

12. That improvement in methods of making lnsoleunits having two-ply foreparts which consists in cutting out the central portion oi' an insole forepart layer at right angles to the top and bottom surfaces of said layer, and attaching a second insole layer to the cut-out portion and to the surrounding portion of said irst layer by means of cement which remains viscous in use, thereby enabling said cut-out portion to be readily removed from said surrounding portion after a shoe upper has been secured in overlastedV 'ERTFcA'r ooozcro.

ement No- 2,056,325. october 6, 1936.

xm. muevan.

It is hereby certified theta-error appears in the printed specification o! the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page 3, first co1umn,. line 73, claim 1 for the word "rapidly" rea. readily; page 4. soc

ond column, line 12, 'claim 10, after "of" second occurrence, :insertA a; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with thes e correctons therein tl the same may conform to the recorcLof the case-:in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 12th. day of. January, A; lD. 1937'.

Henry Van Aradal (S951) Acting Commissioner o! Patente. Y 

